Back To The Barn - Four Up At Acadia

"Back To The Barn - Four Up" , watercolor , 9 x 20"

 

Another watercolor finished of four in hand a turnout seen at Acadia. I can't get enough of them....the power of four horses put to a carriage. So beautiful. This team was almost back to their barn at Wildwood Stables, in Seal Harbor, after being out for a long drive on the carriage roads. So much detail to depict in such a scene....and always the question about what to actually put into the painting and what to leave out, to leave to the viewer's imagination. I think there is just enough detail in this work to capture the beauty of this handsome team.

 

This painting is now being offered unframed.

 

Two's Company, Four's A Team

"Two's Company, Four's A Team, oil on board , 12 x 24"

A four in hand of Kladruber horses and their grooms ....unhitching after the drive.

This is a scene from Acadia, a scene captured years ago at Wildwood Stables, but painted recently.

 

This painting is offered framed in a black and gold and shipping is included in its price.

Time Gone With The Wind In Winter - More Paintings

"The Osprey"  casein on board     16 x 16"  Commission    ©2015 www.kathipeters.com

I can’t believe that it has been a month since I blogged last. My only excuse, and a very valid one, is that we have been inundated with snow and frigid weather that leaves me tired and taciturn….not very talkative. I have been painting some…not nearly as much and I wanted to this winter. I usually find more studio time in the winter months. This year has been different by all stretches of the imagination. Buried in snow, I have just been too tired to create, my muses are snow bound.

I did get asked to do a radio interview! I almost declined in invitation, but was convinced I could do it by my husband. So     I had a podcast radio interview with Driving Radio Show. It actually turned to be fun, and I was quickly put at ease by hosts Glenn and Wendy. Here is a link to the show….I am the first guest to be interviewed that day after the hosts chat for a while….so hang on for the interview. We talk about my art, my life, our horses, and even my studio helper Nell. You can listen at leisure on your iPhone, pad, laptop or whatever……. at this link:  http://drivingradioshow.horseradionetwork.com/2015/02/11/driving-radio-show-episode-188-kathi-peters-art-and-craig-grange-goes-cde/

I finished a commission for a client, of a Maine osprey and sticky nest. [See above.] In between storms I got it packaged and shipped out. It seems as if life this winter has been about getting things done between storms. So be it! This painting is 16 x 16” in casein on a panel. I enjoyed this size panel and have some new works in this size.

I also have completed a casein painting on paper, where I was sort of day dreaming about sun and warmth on a hot summer’s day. “One Summer’s Day” depicts a handsome gray in sun and little shadow.  A stretch when the temperature outside is below zero with a wind chill factor on top of that to numb your senses.

 "One Summer Day"  casein on paper,  12 x 9"  ©2015 www.kathipeters.com

YET I am enjoying the play of sun and shadows on the snow with amble chance to appreciate it on our sunny days. This prompted another painting of Nell, in the snow, casting her Jack Russell shadow on new fallen snow. It is a small work, 6 x 6”, done in oil and is available.

"Jack On Point"  oil on gallery wrapped canvas   6 x 6"  ©2015 www.kathipeters.com

So I paint…..I hope you take a listen to the radio interview. I find painting much easier than talking….so I paint.  

Listen to my radio interview.... and I would love to have some feedback, some comments to help me through my day!

Comes Winter

Nell the snow bunny...       ©Kathi Peters  2011

Snow came last week and covered the farm with a soft white blanket ,brightening our days. Nell donned her new barn coat and burrowed in the white, gone to ground in pursuit of moles or other varmint.Thanksgiving day was shared with our children and family. Fall is slipping into winter as it often does.

Our outside greens are up.

And then on Saturday our mail brought a pleasant surprise......the Fall issue of StrokeSmart magazine arrived and it is sporting my face on the cover!! It actually is my self-portrait that I did...A study of my face in casein.StrokeSmart magazine is put out by the National Stroke Association  .In 2009 I donated a portion of all sales in my solo art show  "Finding My Voice", held at Gallery B in Lexington,KY. , to the National Stroke Association.had been contacted by a freelance written for StrokeSmart about doing an article about me, my art and my recovery after a ischemic stroke in 2006. I never thought it would be such a big article....and never thought I would make the cover!! Imagine my surprise to see my face
on the cover!!! I try to do a new self-portrait every year.....and they used my 2009 painting! Lisa Pogue,the writer, did a lovely job capusclating my stroke and personal approach to recovery.Thank you Lisa and StrokeSmart!!



My mug.....my self-portrait  ©kathi peters.2009

Article featured two paintings that are now with Gallery B.

Maybe next my painting will make the cover of The  Rolling Stone!!!!

Lift Off

"Lift Off"                              8 x 13"                           wateroolor

This watercolor was finished earlier this week.......it is available on my website.

After this watercolor painting, I am putting away my watercolors for a bit and getting back into my caseins. It has been a hard week for us here at Cob Cottage ...........but more about that later.

New Oil & Too Old For New Tricks

Shades Of Gray#8       Oil on Copper               22 x 22"

It seems as if the past week plus was all about the paint. I was without my computer for over a week and so all my studio time was spent actually painting. [Novel idea, no?] I think I need to send my PC away every so often just so I can get back on track with just painting,drawing and creating. Sometimes the whole social media 'stick' is so time consuming! And now to add to the PC distraction,  I have to learn new programs....and figure how to navigate the new PC! And it is true...you can't train an old dog new tricks....or can't do it easily!

So now this old dog is trying to figure out how to crop, and fiddle with my artwork images...so I apologize for the images within this blog post.....but for the time being, what you see is what I can do!  Sorry!

The new large oil on copper above is the latest in my "Shades Of Gray "series. This painting is slated to go to Kentucky for the September show at Gallery B. The small oil on copper Jack Russel Terrier painting below is available through my studio.

"Something Is In There"       5 x 7"        oil on copper

There are several other paintings done too, along with two graphites, but I can't deal with the

PC now ....enough is enough!!

But I need to share a bit of a brag before I go....My watercolor painting, "Trio Brio", was selected as part of the FAV15% (jury's favorite 15% of the entries) in the June 2010 FineArtViews Painting competition. This is a very prestigious online artshow...and I am so happy to have received this honor. I feel that a "People's Choice" Award is really an honor! Thanks TO ALL who voted for my painting!!!

And NOW I so need to get back into the studio!!!

Two Small Casein Portraits

Max and His Pumpkin casein 8 x 5 1/2"

Two small quick caseins of our grandsons are ready to go to my son and daughter-in-law. The boys are growing so fast it is hard to paint fast enough to capture them...but I think I did this time!
These are just to depict a great day last fall, when the sun was shining and snow was nowhere to be found. Today the snow is all around, and though the sun is brilliant, the air is very cold and nipping one's nose. Fall days like depicted in these two paintings are a thing of the past! But those days will be remembered now with these small portraits.
On the up side though ...it is now only a little over 40 days until spring! I am so looking forward to that!

"Logan, The Pumpkin King" casein 6 x 8"

Now onto some bigger works that I am doing.....and I will be taking out my watercolors for these.
My afternoon will be spent in the studio, winter sun shining in, and Les Miserable 's wonderful music entertaining my muse!

First Oil in 2010

I say first because I plan on doing more in between my usual watercolor and casein work. These horses and their driving party were up at Acadia enjoying the miles of carriage driving roads there....I have portrayed them before in several casein works..how I love the white team put to the black and red brake. And the seemed to be enjoying themselves too! The horses and their passengers!

I will be putting this up on my website too....more works to come! But now.......time to walk the dogs! Nell is 'terrier-izing' poor Addie...I hear them wrestling in the living room....time for a walk!

Much To Do About Harry

We woke up to a morning white with new fallen snow.Not a lot. Just enough to make the world outside our cottage white, bright and fluffy. The dogs love rolling in it...the horses love running in it and kicking up their heels. Even my old Tennessee Walker, Dom, [ COMING 30!] enjoyed it for a bit. But now the winds have kicked up and the temps have plummeted with a wind-chill factor that makes being outside uncomfortable. The horses need more hay!

One of my life's passions is my flower gardens. They keep growing on me. Each spring I say no more plants! and then I go by a greenhouse....and before I know it new perennials have found their way into my truck and then need to be planted. I swear this is going to be the year that I DO NOT get new plants.
Under the new blanket of snow sit my gardens.....and they all take care, transplanting, dividing and pruning. Will I never learn??!!!

This is a photo of my "Harry"..[ a Harry Lander's Bush ]...and I love him and his gnarly branches....and when he is draped with snow he is so lovely!

While I am thinking about it : I have been working on my website and have a few new casein works on it now. Tell me what you think.

And now I need to get dressed up in my layers of winter clothes and walk the dogs, and feed the horses. Just getting dressed these winter days is a chore in it's self....never mind the horses, dogs, gardens, painting, paperwork, house care, cooking....on and on...........

Only in Maine? or Merry Christmas!

I love Maine!

This photo was taken down the road from us. I have seen the folks at this certain old farm cleaning out their big beautiful red barn ,throwing 'stuff" into a big dumpster to be thrown away. Maybe the house has been sold. Maybe the farm is going to be sold.....I am sure there is a story there. But the neatest part is that they have also created a huge bomb fire pile in the middle of their snow covered field....and surrounding the pile to be burnt, is a selection of chairs, front row center....the best seats in the house!! I can just image enjoying the excitement of the huge fire, sitting in one of those seats, a glass of wine in hand....maybe on Christmas eve?.....or New Years Eve?? Oh what fun! And then at the end of the burn picking up your chair and throwing it onto the heap...leaving only the ashes in the snow of the past...sort of like clearing way for the new year! Hurrah!

I have been in the throws of the Christmas rush....wrapping [still doing that] baking [more to be done tonight] and the arduous chore of shopping and trying to find everyone that special something. And through it all finishing up a couple of portraits that must be ready for Christmas giving. But I wouldn't want it any other way. There are some exciting happenings in the New Year for me and my art work. I will elaborate on it later...........But for now, from me and all of us at Cob Cottage,

May you have a Very Merry Christmas. and please stop for a moment remember the real meaning of this Holiday...the birth of a child, who became our Christ.

A New Magzine Cover A New Magazine

I feel very honored to be the artist picked to have my casein painting "A Moment In time" chosen to grace the cover of the new equine magazine, 'The StableWoman Gazette"!! This painting is a commissioned work, commissioned by the husband of the woman in the painting...a gift for her birthday. I have blogged about this work before....the painting has been delivered and now hangs in their Ohio home.

"The StableWoman Gazette is a new online magazine style portal dedicated to ALL horsewomen worldwide! Featuring a wide variety of content, from articles and stories to art galleries, video shows, boutique shopping, stress relievers and much more!

This publication is for you and about you. There will be features that are informative on a host of subjects, but also it will include your participation and comments. Browse through the sections. There's something to please every horsewoman.

The StableWoman Gazette changes several times daily with news, stories and updates. So make The StableWoman Gazette your home page to visit and enjoy often.'

Check out this great e-magazine...it is a good read about timely equine news and great stories! and tell them that I sent you! ;-)

Before The Paint

I am sitting here posting this...still in my pj's! That is one of the perks of having my studio at home!!! But I got into this drawing this morning and forgot about everything else! So the dogs sit and wait to be walked for their mid-morning walk and here I am posting about this sketch that will be put up on a 30 x 40" canvas this afternoon. ...after I walk the poor pups! After I get dressed!
Actually they have been busy watching from their deck perch as Les trims around all the gardens. I am sure our Corgi , Addie thinks he could do a better job!

This sketch on bristol paper is really too big to scan at 11 x 14", so I will have to photo it to really show all of it and my signature on the right bottom. As I explained before, I very often work out a sketch before putting paint on canvas or board. This sketch works for me...so I feel the 'need' to get into it.
I am excited about the possibilities! Strike while the iron is hot!!! No???

Moi AKA Karen

Years ago..in another life...I painted models and drew models. My entire day was drawing and sketching models. Part of me misses that..but as my life and surroundings changed, my subjects also changed. My days were filled with horses. I became an equine artist!

I have a dear friend, who is also an artist...and I just finished a painting of her. Karen means a lot to me ...we have been a lot together over the years ...and I wanted, for some reason, to paint her. Here she is. This is a 12 x 12" casein on board. She has challenged me to let her paint me. She asked for a recent photo....HA! Like that is going to happen!!

But I want to say that I am still enjoying painting folks.... or dogs.. and of course, horses. But it will not be just about horses anymore.

A Moment In Time

I do like doing commissions, but I have to admit some grab your heart more than others. The above casein commissioned portrait [ 18 x 18"] of a young woman and her beautiful American Saddlebred horse was one of those commissions where I was really inspired by the beauty of both the owner and her "Tiffany". The work was commissioned by the husband without his wife's knowing about it. He provided me with a portfolio of photographs, none of them really showing the scene that he wanted painted. But he did provide me with enough images to work from, so I could construct the "Moment In Time " that he envisioned....and as he explained what he wanted, I immediately saw the image in my mind's eye. There was so much movement in the walking horse and the way I was able to play the light through the background trees and onto the horse and owner....the painting came together the way I wanted it to!

I have held off posting this until the painting present was presented on the wife's birthday. The painting now hangs in their home in Ohio.

This year I am accepting only a few commissions and focusing more on original works. I have a very busy year ahead...but as Martha says "That is a good thing!"

Knee Deep

The snow keeps coming. I am doomed to days filled with shoveling, I think! But I am getting snippets of time in the studio and am finishing up a watercolor commission and working on two new caseins. I will be having a show in Lexington, KY. in May, but will write more about that as the time gets closer!

In the meantime, I am posting these snowstorm shots…so you can feel sorry for me!

And will sip more hot coffee before I trudge back to the barn, dogs in tow,

to get stalls done so I can get back to my studio!

The Cob mares just eat and eat!!
Enjoy my Narnia world in Morrill, Maine!

Loft Series Part Two

With a small break from working on this painting...I am back at it. The weather here in Morrill, Maine has been very cold...and frankly I don't do cold well. I also see a slowing down of my working time...just taking care of the horses and walking the dogs takes so much time and effort. And then there are all the clothes I have to put on to stay warm..........zheesh....Tuscany here I come!

So , I have gone in and refined the lines of the horse with charcoal and planned where I want the hay piles and some more shadows. The lines need to be correct as the proportions are so skewed from this angle. I went in with more of my purple and blue for the shadows. And yes, I went in with Black! I use black........more on that later.




I will let this now sit and dry for 24 hours and get back working on a commission that I want to get done.

I will do that after I get dressed and clean stalls...........and walk the dogs ...etc etc...........

Table For Two

I finished this 9 x 12" sketch the other evening, but we have had a busy two days and evenings and I have not had time to work in my studio or catch up on projects. I love doing pen and inks..line and shadow. As a child I would read Charles Dickens' novels and was in love with the etchings portraying the stories. Simple, clean and how they drew you into the story. A big crunchy apple..a Dickens' novel on a rainy day and I was off into a world of my own for an entire afternoon. Anyway..this sketch was fun and different from what I do every other day . But it does show bit of my life and surroundings here at Cob Cottage.

Now to get back to commissions..............

Tah-Dah

With great "fan-fair" I produce for you my barn door!!! [Did I spell that right?? fan-fair??] This view of the barn is a favourite of mine and the double garden seat is where we sit and ponder and discuss on summer evenings around the fire pit. A glass on wine...some cheese and crackers...the crackling fire and the peaceful scene of the horses nibbling on grass. I will remember this all when the snow flies and the winds howl this winter!

The loft door will be painted too, probably next spring...for now I need to finish up cleaning my gardens, put the garden pond to bed for the winter and set the Japanese Iris into the ground before frost.

And then I am ready to concentrate on studio work and commissions. It is that time of year!!

But so many had asked about a view of the barn door ...here it is. A side note...our Maggie filly was sporting a yellow mustache on the day I did the back barn door...I am sure she was saying to the other horses "And I helped!!!"

Study On A Rainy Day

Today I finished this graphite study ...... a woman and her horse. The object of her affection is a Standardbred, "Trav", who has been her trail buddy for years. He is a stately gentleman whom I have taken care of on occasion. He reminds me of my 27 old Walker, Dom, who is also a grand gentleman.
My old "Dom" sleeps in his stall today as the skies pour outside. Spoiled rotten he is! As are his 3 stablemates.......all sleeping in dry stalls and munching hay watching the rain come down.

Just Busy Working

This week has gone by quickly. My days have been spent in the studio, or down at the barn. I have finished the above watercolor portrait of a certain black Tenn. Walker gelding , [who just so happens to live at our farm] and have started a painting of a local house .........sounds boring? Wait until you see it! This house has a story!!!

The next few days promise to be dreadful weather. So I am sure I will be staying in, working. I have two portrait commissions to work on and some writing that needs to be done. I am so grateful I don't have to travel far to go to work!